| Abstract |
Our team’s project was to create an autonomous robot arm capable of playing a full game of checkers against a human opponent. The process begins with a camera mounted above the playing board. This camera captures data related to the color and position of each piece. That information is packaged and sent to a checkers AI running on a Raspberry Pi 4, where it processes the opponent’s move and responds with its own. Through I2C communication, the AI’s chosen move is sent to an Arduino Mega. The Arduino converts the move into physical board coordinates and runs inverse kinematics calculations to determine the precise angles for each joint. These values are translated into step counts for the motors, allowing the robot to move checkers pieces with high precision. In addition to motion control, the Arduino handles the homing sequence of the robot and communicates status updates through an LCD display. Many of the robot’s structural components were 3D printed, providing a low-cost and convenient way to build and iterate the design. This method allowed us to quickly replace damaged or worn parts without relying on long lead times or costly manufacturing. For components that required greater strength or mechanical precision—such as gears—we sourced parts from online suppliers. Our criteria for selecting these parts included availability, reasonable lead times, and affordability, all while meeting the performance demands of the system. A good example is the set of brass worm gears we selected to ensure our motors could deliver sufficient torque to support and move the robot arm reliably. This project is a culmination of skills developed across multiple engineering disciplines at UMass Dartmouth. Since the robot will also serve as a demonstration piece at campus events, we focused on making it not only functional, but also eye-catching, portable, and easy to maintain. The result is a robust and engaging system designed to attract interest, showcase technical capability, and represent the practical application of engineering knowledge. |
